Policies, State Laws and Local Ordinance

Animal Holding:

Each animal, upon being brought to the Animal Control Center, is scanned for a microchip, evaluated for health and temperament, then vaccinated and wormed. Animal Control Center staff will continue to monitor the health of each animal during its stay. Healthy animals displaying good temperament are placed up for adoption as soon as possible.

Animal with Unknown Ownership:

The animal is held 3 working days, then put up for adoption, if deemed adoptable.

Animal with Known Ownership:

The animal is held 7 working days. The owners are contacted by phone as well as a letter being sent to their last known address. If the owner has not contacted our office and the animal is deemed adoptable it is put up for adoption.

Animal Brought to Center and Placed for Adoption:

The adoptable animal is immediately available for adoption. An animal may not be immediately placed for adoption due to health reasons, or the animal is too young to be adopted.

Dogs and Cats Involved in Human Biting Incidents:

If a dog or cat is currently vaccinated for rabies, or under 4 months of age, the pet may be released to an owner for home confinement. Those dogs or cats that are not currently vaccinated and are over 4 months of age must be clinically confined either at the Animal Control Center, or at a licensed veterinary clinic. In either instance the animal must be confined for a period of 10 days beginning with the date of the biting incident.

Adoption of Animals:

Eligible dogs, pups, cats, and kittens can be adopted on a first come, first served basis. Payment of adoption fees is expected when the animal has been released by our veterinarian to go home. These animals are adopted under the following provisions: The Sangamon County Department of Public Health, Animal Control Center, can not guarantee the health of any animal that is adopted. Due to the types of diseases that are common to dogs and cats, there are incubation periods during which symptoms of disease can not be detected. Therefore, even with vaccination at our facility, the possibility exists that a dog or cat may show signs of disease after leaving the Animal Control Center. If an adopted animal gets sick within two (2) weeks, the Animal Control Center will provide treatment within its limitations. The adopter of any animal with pre-existing conditions, noted at the time of adoption, will be the responsibility of the person adopting the animal. The Sangamon County Department of Public Health may refund adoption fees, or may exchange a sick or healthy animal for another animal if the Animal Control Center is notified within fourteen (14) working days of the date of adoption. The Sangamon County Department of Public Health can not be responsible for any expenses incurred by an owner of an animal adopted from the Animal Control Center after it has left the facility.

Redemption of Impounded Animals Photo identification of the owner is required when reclaiming an animal. The animal may be reclaimed by the owner upon payment of any Animal Control Center impoundment fees, any municipal impoundment fees, rabies inoculation fees, registration/tag fees, boarding fees and other Animal Control Center fees as they apply.